Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS)

Opening and Closing Dates

Historically, COGS has been open for submission of applications from 1 June to the last Wednesday of July each year, with decisions about applications announced in October/November.Dates for the Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) are changing. The 2014 COGS funding round will now open on Wednesday 26 March 2014 and close on Wednesday 14 May 2014, with decisions announced in August.We are making changes to our business in order to improve the way we process and assess grant applications. This year, in the first of two phases, we are changing dates and streamlining timeframes. COGS applications will be processed quicker this year and you will find out about the outcome of your application sooner. Successful applicants will receive their grants earlier in the year, from August 2014.

In 2015, phase two will see COGS go live on a new online application system which will simplify the process of applying for funding. This is part of a project that aims to collect information from community groups once, to reduce the number of questions asked, and to give you more transparency about where your application sits within the decision-making process.We are making these changes now to enable us to improve how we manage COGS in 2014 ahead of introducing a new online application system. It also means that we can provide better support for communities and committee members through training as we continue to improve our services.More information (including a timeline) can found on our website by clicking on the link below:

Elections to Local Distribution Committees37 Local Distribution Committees (LDCs), served by volunteers, consider and make decisions on grant applications from community organisations within each LDC's local community. Candidates for LDC membership are nominated and elected by non-profit community organisations working in the geographic area served by each committee. 2014 is an election year for COGS LDC members and this year the COGS election will be held concurrently with the funding round.Here is a great opportunity for community volunteers young and not so young to make a vital contribution to their local communities and for community groups to meet with LDC candidates at COGS public meetings, vote in LDC elections, and submit their annual COGS application all at the same time of year while COGS is ‘top of mind.’